FSA vs HRA vs HSA: A Comparison with Chart

For employer-sponsored healthcare benefit accounts, there are Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs), and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). On first glance, the three have a lot in common; however, there are some significant differences between them. A common question for many people is, “What are the differences between an FSA vs HRA vs HSA?”

First, here’s how the three accounts are alike:

Sponsored by the employer

Designed to help ease the high cost of medical care

Empowers people to take more control of their personal healthcare

Allows tax advantages on contributions

The following guide highlights the differences between an FSA vs HRA vs HSA, broken down by each account. At the bottom, there’s a colorful chart with a side-by-side comparison.

Funded by:

FSAs are funded by the participant, though employers may choose to contribute.

Contribution limits:

FSA participants make pre-tax contributions (before taxes are taken out of your paycheck), which helps lower your tax liability. Currently, the FSA maximum contribution is $2,650. See IRS website for more details.

Eligible expenses:

You can use your FSA to pay for a wide range of out-of-pocket medical expenses (approved by the IRS) for yourself and your dependents. Common expenses include prescriptions, eye care, dental care, and first aid supplies.

Rollover or Grace Period:

For unspent FSA funds at the end of the plan year, there are three options:

Use it or lose it (all unspent funds are forfeited)

Carryover of $500 maximum (you can carry over up to $500 to the next year)

Grace period of up to 2.5 months to use any leftover money

Check your plan documents to find out what your FSA offers.

Portability:

FSAs are not portable, which means you cannot take it with you when you leave your job (voluntarily or involuntarily). The account is employer-owned.

Need to know!

FSAs have a “uniform coverage rule.” That means you can use the full annual election amount on day one of the plan year; there’s no need to wait for the account balance to build up.

Funded by:

An HRA is owned by and completely funded by the employer. Participants are not allowed to contribute and the benefit amount received does not count as income.

Contribution limits:

The employer determines the contribution amount in the account each plan year; there are no government limitations on contribution amounts.

Eligible Expenses:

You can use your HRA funds to pay for qualified out-of-pocket medical expenses for yourself and your dependents. The list of eligible expenses is determined by the employer (though they must be IRS-approved) and may vary from one company to the next. You cannot use a traditional HRA to pay for health insurance premiums.

Contribution limits:

Eligible expenses:

You can use an HSA to pay for a wide range of IRS-approved out-of-pocket medical expenses, including COBRA and long-term care premiums as well as Medicare Parts A and B. View a list of HSA eligible expenses.

Plan requirement:

Unlike an FSA or HRA (which have no plan requirements), you must be enrolled in a high deductible health plan (HDHP) in order to be eligible for HSA enrollment. You must also be in a HDHP in order to make contributions.

Tax advantages:

HSAs offer the following tax advantages:

Tax-free contributions

Tax-free withdrawals for qualified medical expenses

Tax-free interest and investment earnings

Rollover or Grace Period:

At the end of the year, any unused funds rollover to the following year, allowing the account to grow.

Investment:

Account owners may invest their HSA dollars once you meet a minimum threshold (varies by plan provider). There is no investment option with an FSA or HRA.

Portability:

An HSA stays with the individual for the life of the account, even if you leave your employer, lose your job, or retire.

Need to know!

Catch-up contributions: During the year account owners turn age 55, they can contribute an additional $1,000 per year over the annual limit

At age 65, account owners can use HSA funds for non-medical expenses and that money is treated as income (taxed, but not penalized).